Van Haaften has served the 76th House District — composed of all of Posey County, the southern tip of Gibson County and part of western Vanderburgh County — since 2003.

Presenting herself as a citizen and politician, the 39-year-old McNamara said at the Posey County Courthouse that "business as usual" is the most important issue in Indianapolis.

"Our legislative leaders come home every two years and ask for our vote," she said. "Then they go back to Indianapolis and back to work for the special interests and lobbyists at the Statehouse."

Van Haaften came under fire earlier this year when lobbying reports revealed that he accepted more than $4,300 in gifts from AT&T. The company was backing broadband mapping legislation he had authored.

Van Haaften said the perks had nothing to do with his decision to offer the bill.

"I go up (to Indianapolis) every year, and I fight for my district," he said. "I think people recognize that, especially in regards to the schools.

"People can deliver whatever rhetoric they want. I look forward to going back to session in January, working for District 76 and being able to debate the issues with whoever's in the campaign."

McNamara, a Mount Vernon resident, is director of Early College High School for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. and an adjunct professor of world history at the University of Southern Indiana. She has taught political science and social studies methods at the University of Evansville.

McNamara is a former assistant principal of North High School and former supervisor of social studies. In her 14 years with the school corporation, she has served as a teacher and department chair at Bosse High School and at Harrison High School.

"I'm motivated by my passion for civics," she told the Courier & Press. "I've long felt the desire to serve my country and my state through public service.

"For the last 15 years, I have been heavily involved with education, with students in civics and looking at the way our founders intended for the country to be run makes me have this desire to make a change."